1. Field of the Invention
The present description relates in general to the production of sanitary articles of the type wearable as pants.
2. Description of Prior Art
In particular, the description relates to the production of sanitary articles comprising a central body to which a pair of side panels is connected, at least at one end.
The designation of sanitary articles is used here in its broadest sense, to include, for example, diapers for babies and incontinence products.
In the field of sanitary articles wearable as pants (diapers for children and infants, incontinence pads, etc.) a sanitary article has become widespread that has at least one pair of panels, provided with appropriate closing/coupling elements, applied to the side edges of the absorbent product at one of its end regions.
Documents such as, for example, EP-A-1 941 853 describe methods for producing sanitary articles wearable as pants with a structure with side panels, said absorbent products comprise:                a central body that extends in the longitudinal direction between two opposite ends, capable of being placed around the groin region (crotch portion) of the user, and        at least one pair of side panels, connected to one end of said central body and able to define, at least in part, the waist-line of the article.        
Typically, such sanitary articles are absorbent products that comprise an absorbent element (core) arranged in the central body.
The solution described in EP-A-1 941 853 involves producing side panels, by segmenting a respective tape element with cutting operations, at least partly produced in an oblique direction with respect to the general direction of extension of said respective tape element, and to impart to one panel in two, in an alternating sequence, a movement of 180° rotation/overturning, before the application of the panels to the central body. After this rotation/ overturning movement, all the panels are correctly oriented to be applied to the central body of the article.
The solution described in EP-A-1 941 853 proves to be entirely satisfactory for producing sanitary articles intended for infants and children.
However, the described solution can be further improved to be able to manage the manufacturing processes more effectively, in particular of applying and folding large-sized side panels especially present in products intended for incontinent adults.
In these cases, articles of significant size are considered: for example, a length of about one meter and a total width of about 90 cm, in order to reach circumferences of the finished article of up to the order of 180 cm where, precisely, the production operations, in particular folding, of the side panels can be very critical to implement in the presence of articles of these dimensions, also considering the very high production rates (hundreds of articles per minute) that are required. In any case, the need is perceived, independently of the size of the article, to produce absorbent articles with structures of this type with more efficient equipment and manufacturing processes and therefore cheaper than the traditional production systems.